Another's insight: Book 1
by Mareo and Anime
Summary: A Ravenclaw guy's POV of the five books. This is Book 1. Duh
1. Arriving

**Another's insight  
**  
Hello, fellow wizards! (Cheep cheep.) Well, not exactly… Me first HP fic! I'm nabbing a lot of quotes from the books, but its part of the story. Enjoy! 

Set in: Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone.

Tree.

Tree.

Tree.

Telephone pole.

Tree.

I wish we'd get there. Sure, the barrier was exciting, but we've been on the rails for three hours already. Oh right. I'd better explain myself.

My name is Seth Hunter, and I'm a muggle. Complete and utter muggle. I'd never even heard of Hogwarts when the letter came. I nearly didn't believe a word of it. Apart from that it was delivered by a Tawny owl at 9 o'clock in the morning. Right on my 11th birthday as well. Weird or what? Anyway.

I'm 4" 3, brown hair, blue eyes, kinda thin, wearing a green sweater, blue jeans and white trainers. My hair sticks up at the back, no matter what I do. Around my neck on a leather string, there's a metal, double-ended arrowhead. My prized possession, apart from my sketchbook. What can I say? I think it's lucky! Ok, back to explaining.

Of course, my parents were amazed. You should have heard the head teacher at Brimscone when my Dad said I wasn't coming.

The best bit after that was getting my wand and my pet in Diagon Alley. The letter recommended the Knight Bus. (Never again…) So we got there, changed our money at Gringotts, (Long fingered goblins! Hmm!) and looked around.

The wand wasn't even black-and-white like on TV. It was 10 inches, Willow, Dragon Heartstring and quite flexible. I thought you just bought any old one!

And for the pet, I got a small barn owl. The person behind the desk recommended an owl, because you can send letters with them. I still haven't given the little girl a name yet.

Of course, getting onto the station was a nightmare! Where the heck was 9 and ¾?!? Then I saw a black haired guy run through the solid barrier between 9 and 10. Not the conventional way, but it worked.

After a red haired kid, his mum and his little sister went through, me, my mum and dad followed them. After a quick 'Goodbye', 'See you in a while' and a few tears, I got on the train, put my trunk away and the train set off. Three hours later, we get to my present position.

"Excuse me?" I turn to the door, seeing two someones peer in.

One of them is a round faced, teary eyed guy about 4" 5 with short, brown hair. The other is…Very pretty...4" 9, Brown eyes, bushy, brown hair, front teeth slightly bigger than the others, already dressed in her robes. She speaks again;

"Excuse me; have you seen a toad about around here?" I blink, taken aback by such an odd question.

"A toad?" I say. She nods. I shake my head, shrugging my shoulders. "But if I do, I'll bring it you. What're your names?"

"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Neville Longbottom." She says, nodding to him. She sounds kind of bossy...

"I'm Seth Hunter."

"Well it's been nice meeting you, but we've got to find Trevor before he manages to jump off the train or something." She says, steering Neville out and putting the door to. I hear Neville say;

"You don't really think Trevor's jumped off the train?!?"

"Oh, it's a figure of speech." I get up, pushing the door closed. I sit back down, thinking about her. 'Hermione Granger'… Sounds kinda royal... I wonder if she's a muggle like me? Will she be in the same classes as me? …Does she have a boyfriend? My thoughts are interrupted by a quiet croaking. I shift round in my seat, looking under it.

In the far corner, I can see a warty-looking toad, hopping about a bit. I reach under and pull him out. He squirms, trying to escape.

"So you're the famous Trevor then?" I ask him/myself, keeping hold of him. "On the run(?)" I walk to the door and look down the carriage, trying to find Hermione. I mean, er, trying to find Hermione and Neville to give Trevor back, yeah.

"Hey!" I hear. I turn, seeing a girl jogging towards me from the far end of the carriage. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Harry Potter's on the train!" she says, as if this is something exciting.

"Sorry, Harry who?" I ask, hardly noticing the escaping amphibian. She looks at me like she doesn't believe I said that.

"Harry wh-?" she says, shaking her head. She stops a second, looking me up and down. "Wait, are you a muggle?" I nod. "No wonder you haven't heard." She sighs, looking to the side. "Look, I'll explain. Is there anywhere to sit down? It's a bit of a long story."

"Yeah, just here." I say, nodding to the now-empty compartment I was in. "By the way, I'm Seth Hunter."

"Lavender Brown." She says, sitting opposite me. She glances at my owl, who has her head under her wing, and gives her a small smile. "Before I start, I've got to say that your owl is just beautiful." She says, looking at her.

"Er, thanks. I still haven't thought of a name for her yet." I explain, glancing at her.

"Ooh!" she squeals, grinning slightly. "I've got a few for her!"

"Er, thanks, but no thanks." I say politely. She looks slightly disappointed, then she goes into a long-winded explanation about Harry and You-Know-Who. (She say 'Voldemort' only once, just to explain.)

"-And the freaky thing was, You-Know-Who disappeared without a trace!" she finishes, folding her arms. I nod, impressed. Suddenly, the floor started shaking a bit more violently, and, glancing out the window, I could see steep mountains in the sunset.

"Must be nearly there." I remark, glancing at Lavender. She gets up and walks to the door.

"I'll see you later then." She says, closing the door behind her. I get my trunk down and pull out and on my robes.

A voice echoes through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

"That'll include owls…" I say, stroking her head through the bars of her large cage. She opens an eye and hoots sleepily at me. "See ya', girl."

I catch up with Lavender again and get off the train with her. As soon as I step off, I hear;

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here! C'mon now! Firs'-years! Firs'-years-!" coming from the most gigantic man I have ever seen, holding a lantern. He's as wide as he is tall (And he's very tall) and is hidden behind a black, tangley beard.

"(He's huge!)" Whispers Lavender to me, leaning back slightly to see all of him.

"C'mon, follow me – Any more firs'-years? Mind yer step now! Firs'-years follow me!" he says, walking away from us into the trees. We follow the giant, slipping slightly on the wet path through the trees.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," he says, pointing ahead. "Jus' round this bend here." Many people 'Oooooh'd at this point.

The path opens to reveal a large castle on a mountainside, on the other side of an enormous lake.

"No more'n four to a boat!" he calls, pointing at a cluster of vessels at the lake-side. I get into a boat with Lavender, followed by two other girls. "Everyone in? Right then- FORWARD!" I nearly fall onto one of the girls behind as they jerk off the shore. Nobody says anything as we get closer.

"Heads down!" he yells, ducking. Our crew bent our heads to go under a curtain of ivy on the side of the cliff into a dark, hollowed-out channel, where we eventually stopped by a rock harbour. We clamber out.

"Oy, you there! Is that your toad?" he says, pointing into one of the boats. ("Trevor!" says Neville happily.) We climb through the passageway and up the front steps. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" He then turns and knocks three times.


	2. Sorting

Hello again! (Cheep, as usual) Thanx for the reviews!  
  
The door opened to reveal a stern and strict looking witch dressed in green robes.  
  
"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall." Says the giant.  
  
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She says. She opens it for us to go in. The entrance hall is gigantic! You could fit my old school hall in here with room to spare! She leads us into a side door, past a noisy room which I can only guess is where everyone else is. We crowd in, standing close. I can see Hermione over everyone else.  
  
"Welcome to Hogwarts." The Professor says. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses…" she explains about the houses, the common rooms, the points, and so on. She leaves us alone.  
  
"(This sounds alright, doesn't it?)" I whisper to Lavender, elbowing her gently.  
  
"(Yeah, especially the Banquet.)" She says, rubbing her stomach hungrily. She looks up, and then gives a soft scream along with a few other people, jumping back. I look up and freeze.  
  
Passing above us, float a few pearly white ghosts, chatting overtly. Then one notices us, trying to give us a half-hearted chat. Then McGonagall comes back, leading us out of there and through the Great Hall.  
  
…Whoa. That's a lodda people! There are four long tables, each with about 250 kids around each of them, staring at us. At the top of the hall, the staff sit around a long table as well. We reach the front. I hear Hermione whisper;  
  
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History."_ I look up, wondering what she's talking about. The sky- no, ceiling, is velvety black with stars dotted about it.  
  
Professor McGonagall puts a three-legged stool down, then puts a ragged, old, pointed wizard's hat on it. What's that thing for? And why's everyone staring at it? Suddenly, a rip on the brim opens- and the hat begins to sing:  
  
"#Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you Where you want to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve and chivalry Set Griffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!#"  
  
I would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. Who of my friends would believe I've seen a singing hat?!? It then bows to the four tables amid applause, then sits still. Professor McGonagall steps forward holding a sheet of parchment.  
  
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbot, Hannah!" A pink-faced, pigtailed girl runs forward, puts the hat on, then sits down. A few seconds later, the hat shouts;  
  
"HUFFELPUFF!" One of the tables starts cheering as she sits down. Then a few people go until she shouts "Brown, Lavender!"  
  
"(Good luck!)" I whisper, tapping her on the shoulder. She shoots me a cheery smile, then sits down. The hat thinks for a while, then yells;  
  
"GRIFFINDOR!" A different table cheers as she sits down. She grins at me, giving me a thumbs-up. After her comes "Finch-Fletchly, Justin!" then "Finnigan, Seamus!" then-  
  
"Granger, Hermione." My stomach twirls as she eagerly puts it on her head. It thinks, then shouts;  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
She sits down. Uh-oh, it's-  
  
"Hunter, Seth!" I gulp, walk forward, put the hat on, and then wait in darkness.  
  
'Hmm…' I hear in my head. 'Considerable intellect… Willingness to learn… Quite a bit of talent… not _that_ brave… Yes… Hmm… What do you say? Any additional opinions or preferences?'  
  
'Hey, you're the sorting hat!' I think, looking at the black inside of the hat. 'It's really up to you in the end.'  
  
'Hmm… I haven't heard something like that in a while! Usually it's 'not this' or 'not the other'… Very astute of you. Alright. I'll put you in-!'  
  
"RAVENCLAW!" it yells. The table second from the left starts cheering as I take the hat off. I jog to the table, people shaking hands with me and congratulating me.  
  
"Well done, Seth!" says a second-year girl, patting me on the arm. She looks like she's from an Oriental origin, with sleek black hair, partially narrow eyes and smooth skin. "I'm Cho Chang."  
  
"Hi! Great to be here!" I reply. I turn back to the front, my heart calming down, watching the others. That's it. I'm now a Ravenclaw. But Hermione and Lavender aren't! We're against each other in the house cup. Oh, well. Doesn't mean we can't still be friends. After a while, the list gets to the 'P's, and one name catches everyone's attention.  
  
"Potter, Harry." Huh?  
  
"_Potter_, did she say?" I ask Cho. She nods, looking up to the front. _The_ Harry Potter everyone's talking about? I godda get a look at this Boy Wonder guy. I lean out slightly to see past the row of heads.  
  
He's about 5", Green eyes, Black, messy hair, Round, black glasses and on his forehead- _The scar._ …Are they sure that's him? I was expecting someone a bit more impressive looking if he's _that_ famous.  
  
The hat goes on his head, and I can't help but hope that he's a Ravenclaw. Harry Potter: Ravenclaw. It would give us all a bit of publicity. The hat's quiet for a while, then opens its mouth-  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Oh. The Gryffindors go nuts at this news, two shouting 'We Got Potter! We Got Potter!' at the top of their voices. Oh, well. It happens.  
  
After a while, the last person is called, (Slytherin) and the headmaster gets up. He's very tall, I think he's got blue eyes, a long, very long, white beard and is wearing multi-coloured robes.  
  
"Welcome!" he says, beaming around. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sits back down.  
  
I just clap along with the rest of them. He seems likeable, for a nutter! "Is he usually like that?" I ask Cho.  
  
"Oh yeah." She says, glancing at him. "He's usually a bit funnier. Probably because it's the start of the year. Chicken?"  
  
I can't believe my eyes! The golden, empty plates have now become golden, nearly-buckling-because-of-all-the-food plates! There's everything here! Including Mint-! Hum. Bugs? (Mint humb-? I don't get it either.) I'll skip to after the feast and song, (I'm a messy eater and a bad singer.) right to where we're being led to our common rooms. (Boy, those staircases are confusing! 142 of them?!?)  
  
"Now, to prove your Ravenclaw logic, you have to remember two passwords," Said Penelope Clearwater, one of the prefects leading us. "One for the tapestry and one for the door to get into the common room." She walks down a corridor decked with tapestries. "Either will do for each one." Great(!) I have enough trouble remembering my 'net passwords! "Here we are!" she says, pointing at one.  
  
It has a picture of an eagle stood on a mountain-top, back to us, looking over a vast forest. Above it on each side, there are two stone ravens watching us, shaking their wings now and again and cawing. The eagle in the picture turns its head, looking at us with a wicked eye.  
  
"_Ingressus_." She says to the eagle. The eagle nods and the tapestry rolls up, revealing a triangular door. "_Perplaceo_." She says to the two stone ravens. They settle back down, silent and the door underneath opens. She leads us in.  
  
Who-hooh! Classy! Wide room, deep carpet, blazing fire in a marbled fireplace, several bronze-edged chairs and couches, - The business!  
  
"The girls' dormitories are down there," she says, indicating a corridor. "The boys' are down there." She points down at another. "It would be preferable if you would go up now, it's getting late."  
  
At the near end, there's a plaque saying _First Year: Boys_. Inside, there are five 4-poster beds with red velvet curtains. At the base of the nearest one, I can see my trunk. Along with my owl-cage on the bedside table. She's probably gone to the Owlery.  
  
Everyone gets their nightwear on, chatting stridently. I can't be bothered, I'm too tired. I look at the cuckoo-clock on the wall. It's- Blimey! It's half-twelve already! Talk about time flying! (Of course, if you disloged the clock... Get it?)  
  
About ten minutes later, everyone's quiet. I lie back, thinking about today. Heh. This morning, I didn't know what You-Know-Who meant. Now look at me. I hope this is going to be better than Brimscone…  
  
Now for reviewer thanks.  
  
DeathWynd: Thanx!  
Moony05: Thanx and… MEEP!  
Professor D. S. Silvers: 'Professional writing'! I'm happy!  
Moon Archer: Thanx.  
Cinnamin911: That's just the kind of guy Seth is.  
Gboyary: This is gonna have at least one.  
LadySchala: Thanx! Hey, whaddya' mean 'lost cause'(?!?)  
  
Alright! See ya' next chap! 


	3. Lessons

Ok then, seeing only one person bothered to review chappie two, this one's for Starricat!!  
  
Next day, down in the Great Hall, I sit near Cho, who, along with her friend Marietta, explain about the teachers.  
  
"-And then there's Professor Snape, who, I think," says Marietta, glancing around. "Should be gagged quietly and locked in the broom cupboard."  
  
"(She isn't good in Potions.)" Cho whispers, before eating a forkful of scrambled eggs. Marietta gave her a disapproving look.  
  
"Only because that- er- idiot, favours Slytherin!" she retorts, glancing at me half-way through. I shake my head, saying;  
  
"Naw, it's alright, you can swear around me. I don't really mind." She looks relieved as I eat some bacon. Mmm… Bacon... "Hey, how about Transfiguration? I heard it's really difficult." I ask, reaching for the sauce.  
  
"That's just changing one thing to another." Said Cho, looking at me. "You know, matches into needles, guinea pigs into guinea fowl, yourself into an animal, desks int-" I ignore the rest of what she's saying and cut in.  
  
"Wait, did you say 'yourself into an animal'?" She nods. "When do you learn that?!?" I ask hurriedly. She gives me a weird look.  
  
"Sorry." I say. "It just sounds really good."  
  
"Well," she says, thinking for a second. "You can start from First year, but it takes until Fourth year to actually become a full Animagus. That's the official term for it." She says, probably seeing the confusion on my face. I'm about to ask more when the post comes.  
  
Hundreds of owls swoop in through the high windows, circling the tables. Then they dive down, delivering, er, whatever they're carrying. My barn owl just lands next to me, helping herself to a bit of my bacon-rind.  
  
"No, go ahead(!)" I say, leaning on my elbow. "Have some bacon(!)" She looks at me apologetically. I laugh kindly at the look on her face. "Naw, go ahead." I say, stroking her head. She finishes off the scraps, then flies off as Professor Flitwick walks down the table, handing out all the timetables. I take one of the first-year ones and check 'Monday'.  
  
Herbology Herbology Charms Lunch Defence Against the Dark Arts Transfiguration Transfiguration  
  
"Ooh." Whistles Cho, leaning over to look at it. "You've got Quirrell right after lunch. I feel sorry for you."  
  
"Why sorry?"  
  
"He tells stomach-churning stories as an introduction. Like about the time he destroyed a Zombie who'd been dead for only three weeks!" she says coolly, smirking at me. Yeah(!) …Yeah?  
  
"Don't be so paranoid!" she laughs, pulling her bag on her shoulder. "Honestly, first-years will believe anything. See you later. C'mon Marietta."  
  
5 minutes after that, I was stood outside Greenhouse 2, shivering in the wind with the other Ravenclaws. Y'know, Herbology isn't that bad, really. Sure, you might get a few bites from one or two plants, but apart from that…  
  
Charms is my favourite so far. In which other class can you make a quill quadruple in size?  
  
After lunch, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ooh, scary, Cho(!) All we could understand from him properly was our names in the register. And there was this Garlic-y smell everywhere in his classroom. And that scary intro? Non-existent. Now you join me outside Transfiguration next to the Gryffindors, who're going for Charms.  
  
"Hey, Seth!" I hear from the other line. I look to see Lavender waving to me, standing next to another girl. I walk over to them.  
  
"Parvati Patil." She says, even before I ask her.  
  
"Er, Seth Hunter." I say. "So how're you finding it so far?" I ask them both.  
  
"Alright, apart from Defence Against the Dark Arts." Says Lavender.  
  
"How long has he been teaching?" giggles Parvati. Are they finishing each other's sentences or something?  
  
"Y'know," I say, doing the look-over-your-shoulder-in-case-anyone's-looking-thing. "They say that he went to the Black Forest in Germany. Ran into a Hag or two."  
  
"No way!" they say in unison, and then giggle at their synchronization.  
  
"Really! I heard an older kid say it." I start. Then a strict voice says;  
  
"Alright class! Enough socializing! We've got work to do." We hurriedly get back into line. Professor McGonagall leads us in. We sit down, getting our books out. After she calls the register, she says;  
  
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."  
  
Yes ma'am! Ten HUT! She then changes her desk into a pig and back again. Just an everyday thing(!) Impressive, but everyday. She then walks down the class, handing out matches. Spent ones, obviously. (Who would trust us with un-used matches?) After walking to the front, she turns on her heel.  
  
"Your goal for today is to transmute these matches into needles. This is the simplest stage of transfiguration. You do this by tapping the match, repeating the word _'acus'_."  
  
Easier said than done. After loads of notes, we get started. I'm _'acus'_-ing like -, _it just won't get pointy!!!!_ I've got it shiny, but that's about it. My seating partner, Dean Thomas isn't doing that well either. He's got it pointy, but not shiny. She asks for our progress at the end, and most people haven't got further than us. After the bell goes, she dismisses us. I walk to the front.  
  
"Er, Professor?" She looks sternly at me. "Could I ask you something?"  
  
"You just did, but carry on."  
  
"Well, I wanted to know about Animagus-es." She blinks at me, probably surprised. "And, er, how to become one." She looks even more surprised.  
  
"The proper term is Animagii." She says, putting her notes in her bag. "And I'm afraid it takes quite a lot of work to become one. Four years to be precise."  
  
"I'm willing to learn!" I say quickly. Hold up, that sounds familiar… She frowns at me, probably thinking.  
  
"Hmm… Are you positive about this…?"  
  
"Yes." I say firmly. She thinks for a while longer. I cross my fingers behind my back. Please say OK; please say OK, please-  
  
"Well, if you're sure…" she sighs, taking a notebook and quill out of her bag. "I could give you lessons on your own, as long as you keep up with them. Shall we say…? Thursday night, 7:00, for…one hour?"  
  
"Ok then."  
  
Hey, I'm going with the crowd part-way! Will he keep the lessons up? What's in store in Potions? Will Lavender and Parvati ever shut up? Will I stop asking stupid questions? Find out next time!  
  
Reviewer replies:  
Starricat: Yes! Another Ravenclaw fan! Isn't it hard to find some really good Ravenclaw stories? (Apart from mine. ;P )


	4. Friends

Thanks for the reviews- sorry- review! 

"You're what!?" says Cho, dropping her chocolate frog on her chest in shock as she's lying on the couch. "How the heck did you convince McGonagall to let you do that?!?"

"Hey, you guess is as good as mine." I confess, scratching out a mis-spelling of the Expanding spell in my Charms homework. "She probably feels sorry for me because I'm a Muggle."

"By the way, it's a figure-of-8-movement." She says, pointing at my parchment. She sits up, catching her frog before it jumps on the floor. "Hmm…" she mutters, biting the frog's leg off. "Wonder what you'll be. You'd be cute as a Labrador." She smirks, winking at me.

"How I laugh(!)" I say, rolling up my work. "D'you think three paragraphs are enough, or should I say more?" She raises an eyebrow at me. "Yeah, that's overkill." I say, taking her hint. "Anyway… Did you see Harry today?"

"Potter?"

"Who else?"

"Yeah, saw him going into the Potions dungeons. I wonder what Snape did to them?" She puts her hands behind her neck, looking at the ceiling.

"What's up?" I ask, sitting down beside her. "Thinking about how cute a couple you two'll make(?)"

"No!" she says quickly, turning and frowning at me.

"Oh yes!" I laugh, sliding along the sofa away from her. "I can see the future! Your name in lights: Cho Potter!" I put my hands up for emphasis.

"Shut UP!" she snapped, hitting the side of my head. "He's in your year!"

"Maybe he likes older girls?" I asked innocently, rubbing the side of my head.

"Hadn't you rest up?" she asks, leaning over and taking my timetable out of my pocket. She opens it and scans it quickly. "Especially since you have Snape first thing tomorrow." She adds, pointing at a square of it.

"Aw, smeg…" I say, taking it back off her.

"Smeg?" she asks, eyebrow raised.

"I picked it up somewhere." I explain. "It's when I can't think of anything else to say."

"So it's the same as 'Merlin's Beard?" she asks.

"Kinda."

"Anyway," she says, glancing at the clock. "It's 10 to 11. I'll see you tomorrow." She gets up and walks to the dormitories.

Next day.

"Who knew dungeons could be so cold?" I ask, rubbing my hands together in the corridor. It's about a minute until Snape's first lesson. We're banded together with the Hufflepuffs for this torture.

"It's supposed to add effect." Says Justin, from Hufflepuff, shivering. "Makes people even more scared of him."

"You may enter." A drawling voice says behind us. We quickly go in, whispering amongst ourselves. Then we hear the door click, then everyone's noiseless.

"I am not here to teach you irrational wand waving." He says, swooping to the front. "Potions is a precise art form, not a drama class, so foolishness will not be tolerated. Are there any questions?" No, Count Dracula(!) After the register, he looks round the class.

"Ravenclaws are _supposed_ to be amongst the brighter portion of this school and the Hufflepuffs are _supposed_ to be able to cope with any situation put up to them. I sincerely hope you will prove me right. For your sakes." He stresses the last part.

"Your aim for this lesson is to concoct one of the simplest potions there are: A cure for boils. The instructions are on the board, get started." He flicks his wand and the words write themselves. "Well? What're you waiting for?" For you to get a nice personality(?) We start off.

"(This is supposed to be simple?!)" Justin whispers to me, measuring out ground up nettle stings. "(If this is simple, I'd hate to do the hard ones!)"

"If that's you're attitude, you will not go far in my class. One point off Hufflepuff for your cheek." Snape says as he walks past. I blink, glancing round at his back.

"(Did I just miss something there?)" I ask, spilling a drop or two of Lionfish poison. They send up slight puffs of smoke as they land. "(How fast was that!?)"

"(It was a passing comment!)" He says exasperatedly. "(I didn't really mean it!)"

"(Mean it or not, it's a point less.)" I shrug.

"(The unfairness!)" He snorts, folding his arms.

"(Hello? Snape equals unfair!)" I whisper, looking round. Luckily, he wasn't passing then. He's too distracted by the fact that luminous orange smoke was puffing up from another person's cauldron.

"What does the board say about the grated pigeon feathers…?" he asks, folding his arms in a menacing manner.

"Um…" the blonde-pony tailed girl whimpers, reading the board. "Add no more than- (50… grams…)"

"And how much did you add…?"

"(…60, sir.)" She whispered, twisting the fabric of her robes in her hands, looking near tears.

"I thought as much. 5 points off Ravenclaw for your ineptitude." He stalks away, leaving the girl with tears in her green eyes.

"(Who's she?)" I ask Justin, not recognising her.

"(She's Mandy Brocklehurst. Your house. Kinda shy person, if you get what I mean.)"

"(You mean, 'Stay-away-from-everyone-because-they'll-pick-on-me' kinda shy?)" I ask. Justin nods, turning back to the brew. Shame. Why he has to pick on her I've no idea.

After that, during the lesson, I keep glancing over to Mandy. Y'know, just to see if she's OK. She's looks alright, but whenever Snape goes near her, she cowers slightly, looking away. When the lesson is almost over, Snape asks for corked Vials of our potions to mark. (It's _supposed_ to go gooey, isn't it?)

"You are dismissed." He says as the bell goes. I pack my things up and start to walk out. Then I see Mandy again. She's looking really down at her 5-point loss for Ravenclaw. I walk out of the classroom with her on the way to History of Magic.

"Hey, Mandy?" I ask, tapping her shoulder. She looks round, slightly surprised.

"Are you talking to me?" She asks. "Who're you?"

"Seth. Fellow Ravenclaw. I just wanted to see if you're OK after…" I nod back to the Dungeon.

"Oh, yeah, fine…" She says, looking the other way. "But five points on the first day!" She says suddenly, turning back. "What kind of first impression is that?!?"

"Hey-whoa!" I say, stepping back slightly. "Calm down a bit. Cho's lost loads more than that."

"Cho?"

"Second year. Talkin' about first impression, who's his Tailor? Dracula?" She laughs, wiping her eyes slightly. "Hey, why don't we sit together at lunch? Just… Chat or somethin'?"

"Are you trying to get me to like you?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. "Cause if you are, I don't fancy you."

"What? Ew! Naw!" I say, exaggerating my shivering. "I don't even know you yet!" She frowns a second longer, then smiles.

"Alright then." She says, smiling at me.

Number of friends: 4. Cho, Justin, Dean and Mandy.

I foresee something… A… Possible group forming? Who knows? (I don't, Anime gives me the ideas.) Reviewer replies:

Shendothepowerful: Thanks, but I was being sarcastic. It's my trademark, apart from having a Seviper muse and drawing people's L&S Experiments.


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